Sunday, February 05, 2006

THE CARTOON DEBATE: WHAT IF I PICKED ON MY GOD, AND CHRIST?

I've been thinking about my Allah and Mohammed cartoon alot since I posted it. My fiance has told me that idolitary is the sin, or blasphemy that I comitted, under the religious laws of Islam, Christianity, and Judaism. She also believes that Catholics violate this law, and I agree with her, though I went to a Catholic School as a child. I've also heard that the Shiites in Iran allow images of the prophet Mohammed to be published, but I'm not certain (any help appreciated)

My point is "so what"? If Jews can get along with Muslims, as they have in the past, and still do in some (not so) rare circumstances around the world, and Christians can get along with Jews and Muslims as well, then WHAT IS STOPPING US FROM IGNORING ALL THE THINGS THAT OFFEND US ABOUT EACH OTHER?

In one word, DOGMA. (I cite definition [c.] from Merriam Webster's online Dictionary: c : a point of view or tenet put forth as authoritative without adequate grounds.)

I tried to argue that my cartoon couldn't be idolatry, since it was mocking Allah, not worshipping him, and I seem to insult God and Jesus much worse in this one. Am I choosing the path of evil by drawing these cartoons?

I respect the Muslim world's passion to protest the offensive cartoons. I wish that a similar popular uprising had occured when "piss Christ" was displayed with government funding, minus the threats of kidnappings and cutting off of hands and heads, of course. In that spirit, I am publishing this mirror cartoon, which aims at the false criticisms of George W. Bush. It seems there is a dichotomy: when I cite terrorists who claim to represent Islam, I'm slandering that religion. When the terrorists claim that Pres. GW. Bush is a modern Crusader, killing innocent Muslims, all of the west is guilty. I don't buy that.

There are only two ways out of this dilemma. Politics, or war. The Muslim world has lived under repressive politics for a long time. Pres. Bush has shown them the results of the war option with Iraq, and opened up political avenues that weren't open before. I hope that this "cartoon issue" will not hinder freedom of religious (and anti-religious, when/where approppriate) speech in the Middle-East.

We all have to live together. We can't "wish away" problems from other parts of the world, for they affect us profoundly. LEAVWORLD recommends that all of the nations that recalled their ambassadors send them back, or send new ones.

As I give them this advice, I pray for my soul. I'm still not sure if the big guy is OK with me drawing someone flipping him off. ...and doesn't Jesus look downright disappointed?

Well, I'm proving a point. Let's see the Christians protest me, if I haven't done it to myself...